I use a BBB from Avon, it had some plastic bristles but I yanked them out. It's OK for greasy hair, but once it gets on my ends, it doesn't 'end' well.So I use it quite rarely, and wash it once a week.I think now it's all BB
Well, after I've joined LHC I've assembled the tools of the trade....
Cone-free conditioners, coconut oil, wooden comb (from Body Shop), silk sleeping cap and braids, braids, braids. My hair has really improved so I decided to try a boar bristle brush because that too is very popular here (will probably get the Bass brand from Whole Foods just out of convenience).
I did a few forum search to see some of the recommended tips and tricks. There wasn't a thread devoted just to brushes (surprisingly) so I thought it might be nice for everyone to consolidate their opinions here!
What brand brush do you use?
Is it all boar or is it blended with other material?
How often do you use it?
How often do you clean it?
Do you use it with other oil (ie coconut)?
Has it made a difference in your hair?
I use a BBB from Avon, it had some plastic bristles but I yanked them out. It's OK for greasy hair, but once it gets on my ends, it doesn't 'end' well.So I use it quite rarely, and wash it once a week.I think now it's all BB
I've been using a pure 100% boar bristle brush for more than 40 years.
My last 3 brushes have been from Goody (purchased at Walgreens).
Regimen: Bend at waist and bring all hair in front (like a curtain).
Detangle thoroughly with a wide tooth comb.
Brush 100 strokes - in the morning, upon arising. Follow each stroke of the brush with the palm of my other hand to reduce static electricity.
My bbb is washed every other day. I fill a 10 oz glass with a bit of shampoo and add warm water, pop in the brush (which has been gone over by my mini hair remover tool). Let sit for 10 minutes.
Rinse thoroughly with cold water, shake well and dry off all parts of the brush.
Place bristles down on a lint free cloth.
Benefits of boar bristle brushing:
1) exercises the hair follicles
2) removes dead hair cells and stuff in the hair
3) Distributes the natural oil thru the hair
4) Imparts shine and softness to the hair
When selecting a bbb, be sure to select one that is pure boar bristle (no nylon!) and one that is flat on the bottom. No round styling brushes as those are not meant for long hair.
I like 6 or 7 rows of bristles - moderately stiff. The stiffness will lessen with time.
The length of the individual bristles varies from company to company. I found the 1/2 inch size to be best. The longer bristle size made it too hard to brush properly.
I brush mostly in the bent at the waist position and then finish with about 20 additional strokes standing upright.
The thing to remember is not so much number of strokes but consistency -- brushing every day - at the same time - and the same number of strokes.
And, it bears repeating, do not brush hair when it's wet! It is at it weakest when wet!
I've had wonderful results with brushing, as you can see in my hair album!
My BBB is 100% boar, and made by Conair. I bought it at Target a few years ago, actually before I seriously started growing my hair out. Unfortunately, it's a round brush. I have used it at various times, from once a day, to once a week, to randomly every now and then. It does help smooth my hair, especially when its oily. But sometimes I notice my hair seems frizzy afterwards. And I'm awful.... I don't clean it very often.
I've decided to retire the BBB in favor of my new bamboo pin brush (BPB?), at least for a while, to see how that goes. I definitely like the paddle shape better! So if I ever do start using BBB again I'll definitely get a flat shape.
Progress March 15, 2011
I bought this one from Amazon. The brand is Spornette and I LOVE it. It is a paddle brush. Makes my hair feel so amazing.
I use a Mason Pearson Large Extra, made with 100% boar bristles, each morning. By distributing sebum throughout the length of my hair, it conditions without any additional product. I dry clean it with the enclosed brush after each use and wet clean it when sebum builds up on its bristles. My hair is soft, shiny and voluminous. I also enjoy an accelerated growth rate (1.5"/mo v. 1"/mo.). It has been a worthy investment.
Last edited by GrowingGlory; March 23rd, 2011 at 03:28 PM.
I got my BBB from Whole Foods, it is Bass brand and 100% boar. I was disappointed at first because it wasn't tough enough to get through all my hair, but then I learned about detangling with a comb... Go ahead, laugh at my ignorance, it's ok.
I like it a lot because of how clean my hair feels after I use it. I'm currently WO so having a BBB to remove lint, dirt, etc from my hair is essential. Because of my haircare routine and just how much I use it, I wash it daily. Every other day if I'm bad.
What brand brush do you use?
Kent. I use their Woody Hog brush after fingercombing, and added a 100% BBB to my order when it needed replacing. Impulse buying is my weakness.
Is it all boar or is it blended with other material?
100% boar.
How often do you use it?
Maybe twice a week?
How often do you clean it?
When it needs doing, really. No set time scale, I just wash it with my other brushes and combs when the sebum builds up.
Do you use it with other oil (ie coconut)?
Sort of. I'll often use it on lightly oiled hair, which at the moment means camellia oil.
Has it made a difference in your hair?
Honestly, no; not a good one anyway. I did try the classic 100 strokes thing when I first got it, after detangling, with the palm afterwards, everything. I noticed a lot of new breakage. I guess it's better for coarser strands? I don't know, but it certainly didn't do my length any good. I use it now just for smoothing hairs into updos, and limit it to a few strokes (and even those result in tangles on freshly detangled hair). If I lost it tomorrow, I wouldn't replace it.
I will EVENTUALLY buy a Mason Pearson 100% boar bristle brush... eventually cause they cost a fortune lol. I've been using a Mason Pearson brush now for just about forever (last one I got was back in high school over 20 years ago and I still use it) but the one I've got is the one with mixed boar and plastic bristles (it was still about $100 20+ years ago), before that I used to use an old Mason Pearson of my Mum's... so I've been using them most of my life, since I was about 7 or 8 I'd guess!
They're the only brush I've found that's really comfortable to brush through my hair with.
Starting over short and working towards virgin hair!
Oh man, I just got back from Whole Foods (right around the corner) and I could not tell if the brushes on display were BBB. They were just labeled "natural bristles" and that is it! I didn't see the brand "Bass" listed on them so I was not sure if it was the same brush that other LHC'ers use.
Mason Pearson is too expensive for me! And anyhow, I don't want to try such an expensive brand when I'm still not sure if the brush will be good for me (though, I do have coarse hair). It is good to know that BBB are so common - somehow I didn't think that Target and basic brands like Goody or Goody would make them. Maybe I'll try Target this weekend...
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